If a catastrophic eruption suddenly buries most of a region under volcanic ash, does the culture of those still living there end abruptly? Does the identity of people who have endured for hundreds of years transform completely when a rival conquers a centuries-old capital, or when climate change makes farming the land impossible? The archaeological record shows that even under pressure, whether extreme or gradual, people carry on despite altered circumstances, preserving at least some of their culture in the form of artistic techniques and styles. “Cultures can be flexible and resilient,” says archaeologist Jeffrey Quilter of Harvard University, “even in the face of great change.”
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